Bee & Bee: How can packaging bee helpful?
Course: Design Innovation & Society Studio IIDuration: April 2023 Software Used: Rhino 3D, Illustrator, Unreal Studio Tags: Sustainable Product Design, Community Engagement Design
Abstract:
In this project we were tasked to partner with an outside organization to design a product, model, or tool kit to solve an issue they are currently experiencing. Our team of four DIS students chose to work with our local Troy Public Library Children’s librarian to design a toolkit to teach Troy’s youth more about Bee Ecology.
Project Objectives:
After meeting with the Head Librarian to discuss this problem space, we met as a group to set some team objectives:
1. This product will be as environmentally sustainable as possible
2. This product needs to be interesting for youth.
3. This product has to do more good than harm.
After setting these objectives as a group we then began our research towards our solution. We broke it down into aesthetic research, functional research, market research, and materials research.
Research:
From our research we found that Native solitary bees can be two to three times more efficient than regular bumble bees and are responsible for most of the pollination done for our food production. Solitary bees do not live in a traditional nest but rather build their best nests in small narrow tubing. In this project our team set out to introduce children to the complex relationship between Humans and the environment, by providing an educational tool kit on constructing a biodegradable and recyclable Bee Hotel for carpenter bees specifically in Troy, Ny. We then complied an extensive list of research materials and created aesthetic and material mood boards
Ideation & Concept Generation:
From our research we found a lot of inspiration from zine culture, an informal method of conveying a information or instructions, often used in environmental punk/progressive activism to inform readers about information quickly. We also drew a lot of inspiration from Bee hives, cork, homemade paper, and sustainable packaging. We also researched other tool kits on the market and could not find anything in this specific product field.
Sketches & Designs
Through our sketching and designing phase, as a team we all wanted the design to be something approachable and comfortable. We wanted to play off of the playfulness of bumble bees and make something children would actually want to be around, while holding all the material for the kit. We centered this first round of design around the bumble bee as the outer container for the design.
Prototype I
Materials
For our first prototype we did an exploration of materials and material testing. I was in charge of materials for this project and did extensive research into the art and science of paper making as well as paper pulp packaging. For this project I also worked with another team member to reach out to local ecologists to find a blend of seeds to support the bees we were building this kit for, and add the seeds into the packaging. We made all of these prototypes out of blended recycled paper and cardboard, and constructed both sheets of paper and a block of paper pulp packaging. With this prototype we accomplished a round of user testing within the studio to see how people would interact with the paper and to get their feedback on the design or the material. Overall the feedback was really good with users only showing a slight lack of trust for the durability of the paper. We also conducted a take home seed paper growth test with a teenage user to track the growth of the seed paper.
Cut up paper and cardboard soaking Making sheets of paper from pulpSheets of seed paper drying
Prototype II
Functional User Test
A functional, detailed prototype, testing for usability and user-experience made from completely recycled and biodegradable materials. For this prototype we constructed a functional prototype, which we were able to give to users for take home testing. This prototype featured the following: 1. Seed Infused Paper Pulp Packaging
2. Wax coated Seed Paper walls
3. Paper Straws
4. Compostable String
5. Zine Instructions
6. Seed “Bombs” We also had a user construct the bee hotel itself and we tested for durability by hanging it outside an observing it through the spring rain of Upstate New York, in which it help up well.
Product in Packaging Insides of Product User with product
Built product testing in tree
Construction of Packaging All packed up!Packaging drying on mold
The packaging naturally honeycombs
Prototype III
Digital Rendering of Final Product
For the final prototype the majority of the changes are made on the inside of the kit itself. We received feedback from users that it was hard to keep track of which materials were for each step. The inside is now redesigned in order to reveal the materials throughout different steps, simplifying and supporting the user’s product experience.